Director Lorene Scafaria fired extras from the set of the movie Hustlers for ogling the strippers, according to reports.
It’s not clear exactly how many people got the ax, but “a number of” extras were said to have been affected.
The 2019 movie was based on the true story of a group of New York strippers who drugged and robbed their clients during the 2008 financial crash.
The movie starred Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu and 42-year-old Scafaria allegedly had a zero tolerance for any ogling or leering at the strippers while on-set.
Actress Mercedes Ruehl who starred in the film as a strip club matron, spoke in an interview with News On Media on how Lorene Scafaria had ruled the set of Hustlers with an iron fist.
Ruehl said: “Obviously it was a lot of strippers and a lot of T and A and everything, and boy, did she rule with an iron hand.
“There was nobody on that set who was anything but entirely respectful of all the women. In fact, the more they came out with less clothing on, the less the guys on set would look at them.”
Lorene Scafaria ‘kept a tight grasp on respect for the actresses’
Ruehl said extras were also fired if they made offensive remarks at the actresses. “They didn’t even want to get caught ogling because there were a number of extras who were fired, whether it was remarks that they made or just ogling the girls,” she said.
“It was my first post-Harvey [Weinstein] experience, and it was really interesting because this young woman kept a tight grasp on respect for the actresses.”
Ruehl, 72, also said she was very impressed by Scafaria as a director. “She knew her stuff,” she said.
Hustlers was based on a true story
The Hustlers movie chronicles the true-life story of New York strippers who tried to get one over on the bankers of Wall Street, who they blamed for causing the 2008 recession, by stealing from their banker clients. They allegedly lured their targets in and swiped their credit cards.
In the movie, Jennifer Lopez played Ramona Vega, a character who was based on the real-life Samantha Brabash, allegedly the ring leader of the strippers. Brabash was unhappy with the movie’s portrayal of her, and she sued the production company.
Brabash was angered that Lopez’s character was seen using and manufacturing drugs at the home of her child; calling this offensive and defamatory. She also said the movie production never received her permission to use her likeness.